Wire spring



y 26, 1953 w. H. NEELY 2,639,763

WIRE SPRING Filed Sept. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'TT1E 1 FEE. Fiai vF1514.

. IN V EN TOR. WILL mm H NEELY y 1953 w. H. NEELY 2,639,763

WIRE SPRING Filed Sept. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIHH HNEELY Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,639,763 I WIRESPRING Application September 26, 1949, Serial No. 117,840

Claims.

This invention relates to flat springs of sinuous or similar shape suchas used for seats, backs of seats, flat cushions, etc. Springs of thistype when attached to or mounted on frame structures develop in theirseating or resting portions, particularly when loaded, excessive stiffareas and excessive yielding areas, caused by either excessive orinsufficient bending stresses, the excessive stiif areas being generallypresent in springs rigidly secured to a frame structure, and excessiveyielding areas being generally present in springs pivotally secured to aframe structure, though both excessive stiff or excessive yielding areasmay be present in springs rigidly or pivotally secured to a framestructure. This undesired reaction of this type of flat spring haspartly been overcome by ofisetting some of the convolutions of thesprings with respect to the general plane of their seating or restingportions, a rather costly and often insuificient procedure inmanufacturing these flat springs.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a fiat,substantially sinuously corrugated or zigzag shaped wire spring in whichin certain areas of the spring the cross wires connecting substantiallyparallelly arranged loops are spaced differently from the cross wires inother areas of such spring to increase and reduce in these certain areasthe stiffness and yielding action of the spring and provide for properseating and resting comfort in seat and back structures embodying thesesprings.

Stiffness and yielding action of predetermined areas of fiat, sinuouslyor zigzag shaped wire springs, furthermore, depend on the diameter ofthe loops in these areas, which loops generally control the angularrelation of the loop-connecting cross wires with respect to the axis ofthe spring.

Another object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision ofa fiat, substantially sinuously corrugated or zigzag shaped wire springin which in certain areas of the spring the cross wires connecting thesubstantially parallelly arranged loops are spaced differently from thecross wires of other areas of such spring, and in which in said certainareas the loops have diameters different from the loops of the otherareas to control the angular relation of the loopconnecting cross wireswith respect to the axes of the springs, and properly increase andreduce in these certain areas stiffness and yielding action of thespring for proper seating and resting comfort in seat and backstructures embodying these springs. 7

In addition, the invention has other marked improvements andsuperiorities which radically distinguish it from presently knownstructures. The improvements or superior characteristics embodyingcertain novel features of construction are clearly set forth in theappended claims, and several preferred embodiments of the invention arehereinafter shown with reference to the accompanying drawings formingpart of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the seating or restingportion of a wire spring formed from zigzag shaped wire having equallysized loops throughout and a portion in which the distance betweenadjacent loop-connecting cross wires is shorter than the distancebetween adjacent cross Wires in other portions of the resting portion ofsaid zigzag shaped wire;

Fig. 2 is a plan View similar to Fig. 1 with the exception that thediameter of the wire loops in the portion referred to above is smallerthan the diameter of the loops in the other portions of the zigzagshaped wire spring;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a fragmentary portion of the seating or restingportion of a zigzag shaped wire spring, including a portion in which thedistance between adjacent loop-connecting cross wires is longer than thedistance between the cross wires in other portions of the restingportion of said zigzag shaped wire spring;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the seating or restingportion of a zigzag shaped wire spring including definite portions inwhich the distance between adjacent, loopconnectingcross wires is eithershorter or longer than the distance between adjacent cross wires inother portions of the resting portion of said zigzag shaped wire spring;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a wire spring member embodying a restingsurface including a portion having relatively decreased stiffness withrespect to other portions of the wire spring member; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a wire spring member embodying a restingsurface including portions having relatively increased and decreasedstiifness with respect to other portions of the wire spring member.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawingsrepresenting fragmentary sections of the seating or resting portions ofsinuously corrugated or zigzag shaped wire springs commonly used in backrest and seat constructionsfor upholstered furniture and automobile seatstructures, reference numeral 2 denotes a steel wire bent to sinuous orzigzag shape so that the resting portion 3 of the wire structureincludes loops 4 extended substantially parallel to each other andconnected with each other by cross wires 5. The thus constructed restingportion 3 (see Fig. 1) which embodies equally-sized loops throughout;includes a-portiorr 6 in which the distance" between adjacent crosswires 5 is shorter than the distance between adjacent cross wires 5 inportions 1 and 8 of resting portion 3 positioned adjacent to portion 6.As the spacing of cross wires 5' in portion 6closer than the spacing ofcross wires 5 in portions Land 8- decreases the relative stiffness ofportion 6 with;

respect to the stifiness of portions 1 and 8-, proper location ofportions similar to portion 6 in the resting portion of aspringstructure'affords'a highly practical means to provide for properseating and resting comfort in seat and back rest spring structures.

The seating and resting comfort of the above described resting portionof a spring structure can additionally be'improved' by decreasing thediameter of 'the loops of the portion 6 so that-the cross wires 5'extend substantially at a right angle to the-axis of the restingportion. Such a structure is' disclosed in Fig. 2'in which'the restingportion 9 embodies a portion 10 having a'dist'ance between adjacentcross wires I I shorter than the distance between adjacent cross wiresII in portions I2 and I4, positioned adjacent to'po'rtion In, and havingloops [5 which are smaller in diameter than loops IS in the portions '12and It, all for the purpose of arranging the cross wires II in portion10 at a substantiallylright angle to the axis of resting portion?! andincreasing the relative length of cross wires 1 l with respect to crosswires H to decrease the torsional resistance of cross Wires I withrespect to'the-torsion'al resistance of cross wires l I Differentspacing ofthe cross wires of sinuously corrugated or zigzag shaped wirescan also (see Fig. 3) be utilized to locally increase the stiffness ofthe seating portion of.a wire'structure. In this case the'res'tingportion' "1.3 of the wire structure includes a portion '11 -inwhich 'the distance between adjacent cross wires iBis longer than thedistance between adjacent cross wires 18 in portions "I 9 and 2.6,positioned adjacent toportion "H.

' For utmost seating and resting comfort of the resting portion of a'zigzag shaped wire spring structure, difierent spacing of the crosswires 01' the spring structure can be used for locally increasing anddecreasing the stifin'ess of theresta ing surface as shownin'F'igj 4."In this case the resting portion 2| of'the wire structure includesportions 22- and 23 having a distance between adjacent cross wires" 24in portion 22 shorter than the distance between the normally spacedcross wires 24 'of thespring structureyand in which the distance of theadjacent cross wires' 24" in portion 23 is longer than,the'distance'between adjacent crosswires' 24 in portion22andthedistancebetween the normally vspacedcross wires" 2'4 of-the springstructure.

In addition toa controlof seatingand resting comfort on the restingportions of zigzag-shaped wire spring structures, different spacing ofthe cross wires of the wire spring structure can be used in thesupporting portions of these spring structures, which generally supportthe spring structure in elevated position on openframe structures orsimilar devices. Thisisdisclosedin the wire springs shown Figs. Sand '6.lin -these 4- figures spring structure 25 (see Fig. 5) embodies azigzag-shaped supporting or resting portion 26 including a portion 21with more closely spaced loop-connecting cross wires 28 than thenormally spaced loop-connecting cross wires 28 of the resting portion26, and a portion 29 with more widely spaced loop-connecting cross wires28 than said cross wires "28'. The thus constructed resting a rearwardlyand downwardly extended support- :ing arm 30 which has integrallyextended therefrom a forwardly extended arm 3! adapted to be u'sedforsecuring said latter arm to the front rail of a'frame (not shown) andhas integrally extended fromits rear end a forwardly inclined:supporting arm'32adapted to be used for securing said resting portionto the rear rail of a frame (not --'sh'own). "'As shown, the rearwardlyand downwardly inclined extended supporting arm 30 of spring structure25 includes a portion 33 having its loop-connecting cross wires 34spacedmore closely with respect to each other than "the other loo-connecting cross wires 3 ofisa'id-arm to' decrease its' stiffness andincrease its yielding action," and the 'forwar'dly inclined supportingarm 32in'cludes a; portion35 having'its' loop-connecting'cross' wires 3%spacedwider with respect to each other than the other loop-connectingcross wirestfi' of said arm' toincrease its stiffness and decrease itsyieldin action, all forthe purpose of proper control of -the-springstructure for proper comfort and'yi'elding action'under load.

Spring structure 37 ('seeFig'. 6)- is-substantially identical in generaloutline with spring structure 25 with the exception that z'igzag shapedsupporting or 'r'estingfportionta has integrally extended 'fromits rearend an upwardly and rearw'ardly extendedfa'rm 39. This spring structureincludes in the seating 'or' resting portion 38. portions 40 andll"h'avingi'their loop-connecting cross wires 42' and *42 spaceddifferently to increase and decrease'stiflness and decrease and increasethe yi'elding'a'ction in portions'flil and 4| In addition "springstructure 31 includes in its upwardly and rearwardlyextended arm '39 aportion" l3"having' its" lo'op connecting cross wires 44 spaced morewidely'with respect to each other than the other loop-connecting crosswires, 'to increase' its stifiness' ariddecrease its yielding action.

'The shown and described location of areasof decreased and increasedsti'finess and. yield in sinuouslycorrugated springs: -is notnecessarily restricted to the structures disclosed and described, samebeing merely.- given by way ofexample of the invention.

Having thus describedmy-invention; what I claimis:

1. An integral, elongated wire spring forseat structures includinga ifiat, sinuously 'corrugated, resting portion and supporting-means forsaid resting-portion extended from opposite "ends thereof said:supporting portion embodying successive left and right-handedloopsconnected by cross wire members'spaced'irom each' other a predetermineddistance-andother successive left and right handed'loops-connected'bycross-wire members spaced from eachother a predetermined distancedifierent from said first distance to. provide-a resting portion-including-areas of different yield to loads placed-thereon.

.2. An-integral, elongated wire spring for-seat structures including aflat; sinuously corrugated, restingpportion and :supporting means forsaid resting portion integrally extendedtromaoppc:

site ends thereof, said resting portion embodying successive left andright handed loops connected by cross wire members spaced from eachother a predetermined distance and other successive left and righthanded loops connected by cross wire members spaced from each other apredetermined distance shorter than said first distance to provide theresting portion with a localized area more readily yielding to loadsplaced thereon than other areas of such resting portion.

3. An integral, elongated wire spring for seat structures as describedin claim 2, wherein the more readily yielding area of the restingportion is arranged near its rear end portion.

4. In an integral, elongated wire spring for seat structures, a flat,sinuously corrugated resting portion and supporting arms for saidresting portion extended from opposite ends thereof, said restingportion embodying successive left and right handed loops connected bycross wire members, said corrugated resting portion including areas,each of which has its connecting cross wire members spaced equally fromeach other and differently from the connecting cross wire members ofother areas.

5. In an integral, elongated wire spring for seat structures, a flat,sinuously corrugated, resting portion and sinuously corrugated,supporting arms for opposite ends of said resting portion integrallyextended therefrom, said resting portion and supporting arms includingareas each of which has its connecting cross wire members spaced fromeach other an equal distance different and shorter than the spacing ofthe connecting cross wire members of other areas.

WILLIAM H. NEELY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 401,287 Lytle Apr. 9, 1889 751,147 Caspary Feb. 2, 19042,134,371 .Nachman Oct. 25, 1938 2,257,367 Bernstein Sept. 30, 19412,279,336 Neely Apr. 14, 1942 2,330,906 Neely Oct. 5, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 96,867 Germany May 4, 1898 28,617 GreatBritain of 1912

